Cracking its whip against errant private bus operators, the Transport Department, as part of its special drive, seized over 500 buses and booked about 780 cases against them across the State.
The buses were seized for violating different rules, including plying as stage carrier while holding a contract carriage permit, transporting commercial goods, accommodating extra seats and others.
The drive was intensified following the Volvo bus fire mishap at Palem in Mahabubnagar district, which claimed the lives of 45 passengers a few days ago. All the owners of buses that were seized will be prosecuted in courts and till date only 20 per cent of buses have been released.
Transport Department authorities said the courts were levying a penalty ranging from Rs.5,000 to Rs.10,000 per bus depending on the Central Motor Vehicles rules violation. Among all the districts in which the buses were seized, the highest were seized in Ranga Reddy and Krishna districts with 54 buses being seized in each district. In the capital, authorities seized 36 buses till date. Over 440 operators were slapped with cases for operating as stage carriers while holding a contract carriage permit. Thirty-eight operators were booked for not maintaining the mandatory passenger details list in the buses. Apart from court prosecution and penalties, vehicle owners will be made to pay road tax and other fee.
